The tension at the victory party for Peter Tabuns in Toronto-Danforth lasted a few minutes longer that anyone had expected after the polls closed — but only a few.

Returns from the first dozen polls showed the Liberals surprisingly close in this New Democrat stronghold. But before 10 p.m., the NDP’s Tabuns had established a clear and widening lead in his bid to retain the seat.

And his supporters at the Fox and Fiddle pub were no longer tensely clutching their drinks, but lining up for food at the buffet.

Even city Councillor Paula Fletcher, who was acting as emcee at the party and had been showing the strain as the first votes came in, had calmed down and was happily announcing that one network had declared Tabuns re-elected.

The riding is a tough nut to crack for any candidate not wearing an NDP button. Sitting on the east side of the Don Valley, it runs north from the lakeshore, up through Leslieville and Riverdale, into the former East York.

Tabuns first won the riding in a 2006 byelection, taking over from veteran New Democrat Marilyn Churley, who had held the riding for 15 years. And federally, it was the seat of former party leader Jack Layton.

Tabuns was re-elected in 2007 and coasted home with the win in 2011, taking 54 per cent of the vote to the second-place Liberals’ 31 per cent. No other party got into double digits.

“Transit, jobs and child care,” he said. “You should also know that this riding has a really strong environmental consciousness.”

“It’s a very transit dependent community. A lot of people take subway and streetcar to work. And the fact the system isn’t working well is making them very upset.”

“They think funding is needed, and I believe funding is needed, for expanded transit infrastructure.”

Jobs are an ongoing issue for voters, he said. And child care has been an increasing concern as younger people move in: “It’s like a baby boom going door to door.”

Liberal candidate Rob Newman had tried to woo NDP voters by pointing out that the defeated Liberal budget was full of NDP-friendly policies.

“A lot of these former NDP voters aren’t too happy that Andrea said No to the budget,” he said prior to the vote.

Newman has worked in the financial services sector, but had been on the staff of Ted McMeekin, minister of community and social services, prior to the election.

He agreed with Tabuns that child care and transit were important to voters.

“Transit’s a big thing here for people,” he said. “A lot of people want to move here to be close to work, and take transit to get there. They’ll get on at Chester or Pape, and they talk about how it’s already packed.”

Conservative candidate Naomi Solomon, a lawyer, had campaigned for fiscal responsibility and accountability.

Taxes and hydro bills are too high, she said: “Energy costs are through the roof. People are complaining about the cost of hydro.”

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